{
  "@context": "https://schema.org",
  "@type": "Taxon",
  "slug": "groundhog",
  "name": "Groundhog",
  "scientificName": "Marmota monax",
  "category": "Mammal",
  "summary": "The groundhog (Marmota monax) is a large ground-dwelling squirrel, or marmot, native to fields and woodland edges across much of North America. Also known as the woodchuck, it grows to about 65 cm long, weighs up to 6 kg before winter, and digs extensive burrows. Groundhogs are true hibernators, sleeping through the cold months, and live around four to six years in the wild.",
  "conservationStatus": "Least Concern",
  "taxonomy": {
    "kingdom": "Animalia",
    "phylum": "Chordata",
    "class": "Mammalia",
    "order": "Rodentia",
    "family": "Sciuridae",
    "genus": "Marmota"
  },
  "stats": {
    "weightKg": 5,
    "lengthM": 0.65,
    "topSpeedKmh": 16,
    "lifespanYears": 6
  },
  "facts": [
    {
      "label": "Scientific name",
      "value": "Marmota monax"
    },
    {
      "label": "Diet",
      "value": "Herbivore — grasses, clover, dandelion, and garden vegetables"
    },
    {
      "label": "Habitat",
      "value": "Fields, woodland edges, and suburban areas of North America"
    },
    {
      "label": "Lifespan",
      "value": "4–6 years in the wild (up to 14 in captivity)"
    },
    {
      "label": "Weight",
      "value": "2–6 kg (4.4–13 lb); heavier before hibernation"
    },
    {
      "label": "Top speed",
      "value": "Up to 16 km/h (10 mph) to burrow"
    },
    {
      "label": "Conservation status",
      "value": "Least Concern (IUCN)"
    }
  ],
  "range": {
    "nativeRange": "Eastern and central North America from Alabama to Alaska across fields, woodland edges, and suburbs.",
    "continents": [
      "North America"
    ]
  },
  "sources": [
    {
      "citation": "IUCN Red List — Marmota monax.",
      "url": "https://www.iucnredlist.org/search?query=Marmota%20monax&searchType=species"
    },
    {
      "citation": "Animal Diversity Web — Marmota monax. University of Michigan Museum of Zoology.",
      "url": "https://animaldiversity.org/accounts/Marmota_monax/"
    }
  ],
  "lastReviewed": "2026-07-16",
  "canonicalUrl": "https://globalanimalguide.org/animals/groundhog/",
  "license": {
    "name": "CC BY-NC 4.0",
    "url": "https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/",
    "attribution": "Global Animal Guide — https://globalanimalguide.org/animals/groundhog/",
    "note": "Free to reuse for non-commercial purposes with attribution and a link back to the canonical page."
  }
}